Current collector head



Oct 1952 R. w. DONALDSON CURRENT CQLLECTOR HEAD Original Filed Feb. 18,1949 IN VEN TOR. RAYMOND WDONALDS 0N BY M Patented Oct. 14, 1952 CURRENTCOLLECTOR HEAD Raymond W. Donaldson, Lexington, Ohio, as-

signor. to The Ohio Brass Company, Mansfield, Ohio, a corporation of NewJersey Original application February 18, 1949, Serial No. f 77,208.Divided and this application July 16, 1949, Serial No. 105,110

(01. ISM--33) 8 Claims.

1 My invention relates to the operation of electrically operatedvehicles of the trolley bus type and the trolley frogs or switches forguiding the current collectors mounted on the bus as it moves along thedesired path at a'turn-out point.

Ihis invention has particular reference to one of. the parts whichperforms a very important function in the, operation and control of thefrogs as later explained.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial Number77,20 3 filed February 18, 1949. I

The simplest form of my improved system is disclosed schematically inFig.1.

The overhead system now in general use for controlling the movement ofthe current collectors at a straight-away and turn-out point isdisclosed in U. S. Patent 2,2'64,839 and requires two or three staggeredcontact members associated with a pair of trolley wires in advance ofthe frogs. I l

For a better understanding .ofthe bus system in which the part laterdescribed and claimed in this application, the system employs twoparallel trolley wires, a positive and a negativeand the vehicle, sinceitdoes not follow a definite path, as does a streetcar operating on atrack, the bus may wander from side to side of the street, sometimesparallel to the. trolley wires, below or to one side of the same or thevehicle may move at an angle to thetrolley wires. I

In order to properly control the operation of the frogs to properlydirect the movement of the current collectors therethrough, dependinupon whether the vehicle is to movestraight through or make a turn, theoperator of the vehicle must so maneuver the same that the. currentcollectors will properly engage the contact members which aidin thecontrollof, the frogtongues.

Some systems employ a type of frog in. which the tongue is operated ineach direction by separate solenoids or coils and other systems usedafrog in which the tongue is'operated electrically to one position; andmechan-ically to the other position and is-termed a resetting type offrog. It is this latter type WhiChgI employ.

So long as the vehicle operator isable to successfully maneuver thevehicle so as toproperly engage or avoid engaging the two or morecontact members;- to properly set the frog tongues the present system ofcontrol is satisfactory.

But it requires careful and skillful maneuvering to guide the'coachthrough trafiicand position the vehicle so that the current collectorwill engage the contact membersior proper operation of thefrogs.

The object of my improved system is to provide one which is simple anddoes not require the close and exacting maneuvering of the vehicle whendesiring to make a turn and to accomplish this I employ a special formof current collector head which is combined with a connector ring andwhich head is the, main object of this application, in fact only onecontact member is required.

Due to the manner in which the bus travels with respect to the overheadtrolley wires it is necessary to employ a special trolley head orcollector differing} materially from thatr'equir'e'd' by street cars.

My invention is disclosed in the description which follows and itsmanner of use is shown schematically in the attached drawing Figs. 1

and 3.

In Fig. 2 is shown in partial section a? side view of the currentcollector head I employ in my improved system and in Fig. Bis shown anenclview of a contactor such as shown in U. S. Patent 2,195,734 and Fig.3 also shows the relation between my improved current collector head andthe contactor as it passes through the contactor.

A description of Fig. 1 will disclose the reason for my improved currentcollector.

In Fig. 1, the main trolley wires, positive and negative, are indicatedas l and 2 respectively. The contactor 3 is mounted on one of thetrolley wires and the contact elements or blades are insulated from thetrolley wire I.

Branch wires 4 and 5 lead from the main wires I and 2 respectively andat each junction thereof is positioned a trolley frog 6 or 1respectively. The frogs shown are of the reset type as previously statedand shown and described in U. S. Patent 2.2991914, that is the frogseach have a tonguefi or 9 respectively normally set for straight throughor main line operation and when the tongue has been actuated, forinstance, to guide the current collector onto the branch wire, thetongue is reset mechanically to its normal straight line position by thecollector before it clears the frog.

Each frog requires only one operating coil, Ill or ll respectively, andwhile they are shown as connected in parallel they may be connected inseries and each coil is mounted on its respective switch to operatethe'tongue to the turn-out position and the tongue is returned to itsstraight through or normal position when the current collector engagesthe trip it or It respectively which connects mechanically with thetongue (see Patent 2,299,914) l V The contactor blades M are. normallyinsulated 3 from the trolley wire I and are connected by conductor |5 tocoils l0 and H and each coil in turn is connected by the conductor l-Bto the pan of the switch 6 which is energized and of the same polarityas trolley wire I.

The trolley coach or vehicle C is provided with a motor and controller2i therefor, and on the roof of the vehicle are pivotally mounted twotrolley poles 22 and 23 as is usual practice.

The trolley pole 22 is provided at its upper end with a, currentcollector head 24 (Fig. 1) and the pole 23 is equipped with a currentcollector head 25 (Figs. 1, 2, 3) which is a modification of the head 24by the inclusion of connecting means 26 shown as a metal ring whichsurrounds the collector head in insulated relation thereto by theinterposed insulating member 21.

The controller 2| and motor 20 are shown as connected in series whilethe conductor 28 connects the current collector of head 24 to one sideof the motor and the conductor 29 connects the current collector of head25 to one side of the controller thus the motor is connected to thepositive and negative trolley wires with the controller interposed.

As the vehicle moves along toward the frogs 6 and I the collector head25 will enter the contactor 3 and the connecting means 26 will engagethe contactor blades H (see Fig. 3).

When the collector head 25 is associated with the contactor 3, thetrolley pole 23 may be traveling directly below in alignment with or ata lateral angle to the trolley wire hence for this reason the head 25must be different from the head 24 so that it will properly cooperatewith the contactor throughout its travel through the contactor.

When the normally open manually operable control switch is closed withthe connecting means 26 of the current collector 25 engaging thecontactor blades l4, current will flow from the positive trolley wire Ior frog 6 through conductor I6, coils I0 and II, conductor l5, bladesl4, connecting means 26, conductor 36, switch 35, conductors 31 and 28,and collector head 24 to the negative trolley wire 2.

When the switch 35 is closed and the connecting means 26 of collectorhead 25 engages the contactor 3 the frog tongues will be moved to theirbranch or turn-out position but if the switch 35 is not closed then thefrog tongues will remain in their straight through position.

When the switch 35 is closed and the current collector head is about toengage the contactor 3 the connecting means 26 will have an oppositepolarity to that of the shoe or associated trolley wire I.

The collector head 25 is provided with supporting means comprising abowl shaped member constructed preferably of sheet metal with an outerportion 43' and an inner portion 40", and a socket member 4| projectingtherefrom to receive the end of the trolley pole 23 with an interposedsleeve 23' of insulation, preferably resilient rubber, to absorbvibrations as well as to electrically insulate.

The bowl-shaped member 40 has two registering openings, 42 and 43through which extend the substantially upright supporting pin 44 heldsecurely in place by the nut 45 and having a flaring bearing 46 with aspherical cup shaped bearing surface 46' and an outer spherical bearingsurface parallel to that of 46'.

The current collector portion of the head 25 has two parts namely theshoe 4! and the retaining part 48, both of metal. The shoe 4! isprovided with a groove 46 to receive the trolley wire and guide thecollector head along the trolley wire. The shoe is also provided with aspherical bearing surface engaging with and conforming to the sphericalbearing surface 46' on the bearing 46.

Since the shoe 4'! must move along parallel to and in contact with thetrolley wire and since the pole 23 with the attached parts 40 and 4|take various positions relative to the trolley wire I, it is necessarythat the shoe 41 and its retaining portion 48 shall pivot relative tothe parts 40, 4| and 44, hence the spherical construction describedabove.

The shoe 4'! is held in place by the retaining portion 48 which engagesthe lower face of the bearing portion 46 and is held to the shoe 41 byscrews 50, thus permitting replacement of the shoe when necessary fromwear.

Another relative movement is necessary between the current collector orshoe 4'! and its supporting parts 40, 4| and 44 namely a relativemovement in a vertical plane to compensate for varying height of thetrolley wire and inequalities in the overhead met by the bus as ittravels along its way. This movement is secured through the medium ofthe slot 5| in the retaining part 48 and through which slot the pin 44extends.

The above construction of the head permits the shoe or current collector41 and retainer 48 to rotate upon the pin 44 in a plane at right anglesor substantially so to the axis of the pin 44 and the slot 5| permitsthe shoe and retainer to pivot in a. plane coinciding with thelongitudinal axis of the pin. The screw 50 may be manipulated throughthe slot 5|.

The bowl shaped portion 40 is provided with a circumferential groove 52in which the metal ring like member 26 which is secured with interposedinsulation 21 and in laterally spaced relation to the pin 44. Theconstruction and assembly of the ring 26 and the insulation 21 is suchthat they are secured in fixed relation to the member 40 throughfriction or pressure against the faces of the groove 52 and will movewith the bowl member 40 and will not endanger the overhead constructionshould a diwirement occur and the exposed peripheral surface of the ringwill engage the contactor blades l4 as the collector head passes throughthe contactor regardless of the pole angle.

The conductor 29 connects to the bowl shaped portion 40 and theinsulated conductor 36 connects to the ring 26.

This construction of the collector head 25 permits the trolley bus tohave a wide latitude of operation relative to the trolley wires. Thehead 24 is the same as the head 25 with the connecting means 26 omitted.

If the polarity of the connecting means 26 should be the same as that ofthe bowl shaped portion 40 or the collector 41, the insulation 21 willstill be necessary, and the connecting means will engage the blades |4regardless of the relative positions as described above of the pole 23and contactor 3 as the collector head passes through the contactor butthe conductor I6 must connect electrically to trolley wire 2.

The elongated members l4 of the contactor 3 are mounted by means ofsprings which assure contact with the connecting means 26 and which aresuspended in insulated relation to the trolley clamp 6| by theinsulating rod 62.

The clamps 6| (twoiormpre in number) grip the trolley wire I thussupporting the cohtactor 3 which is also disclosed in U. S. Patent2,195,734, The vertical height of the members l4 may be made such asnecessary for engagement by the connecting member to meet operatingconditions.

By making the connector 26 insulated from the head it is possible tocontrol the operation of the frogs through the manipulation of theswitch 35, and while I have referred to the connecting means 26 as aring at substantially right angles to the axis of the pin 44 orsubstantially hori zontal, it may only partly encircle the head that is,only sufliciently to insure contact with the blades M at any'pr'acticaloperating angle which the pole may make to the trolley wire whilepassing the contactor 3.

If the connecting means and insulation 21 entirely surround the support,they may be splitand sprung into place" in the circumferential groove 52and the adjacent ends of the connecting means 26 then soldered or brazedtogether thus securing the connecting means in fixed relation to thehead.

Modifications will suggest themselves based on my herein disclosure,therefore I wish to be limited only by my claims.

I claim:

1. In a current collector head comprising a metallic support member anda current collector, the support member provided with projecting meansto secure it to a trolley pole and upstanding support means on which thecurrent collector is mounted to pivot thereon in substantially verticaland horizontal planes relative to the support member, the support memberprovided with, recessed means in a plane above the projecting means andconcentric with the support member, the combination with the saidsupport member of metallic connecting means mounted in the recessedmeans in concentric relation to the current collector and to theupstanding support means therefor, the connecting means projectinglaterally from the support member and having a plurality of exposedsurfaces, insulating means interposed between the connecting means andthe support member, the connecting means and the insulating means andthe support member being so constructed and arranged that the plane ofone exposed surface of the connecting means will be substantially normalto the upstanding support means and the other exposed surface beingsubstantially parallel to the axis of the upstanding support means, andthe connecting means secured in fixed relation to the support member andmovable relative to the current collector.

Z In a current collector head for a trolley bus system comprisingmetallic supporting means and a current collector, the supporting meansprovided with a portion adapted to secure it to a trolley pole andupstanding support means upon which a current collector is mounted and are taining means to secure the current collector in pivotal relation tothe upstanding support means, the combination with the first saidsupport means of metallic connecting means projecting laterally from thefirst said supporting means and arranged to engage a contactor andsurround the current collector to a predetermined extent in concentricrelation thereto, the connecting means having a plurality of exposedsurfaces, the plane of one of the surfaces of the connecting means beingsubstantially parallel to the upstanding support means and the plane ofthe other exposed surfaces being substantially normal to the axis ofsecure the support to a trolley pole, a current collector with a grooveadapted to receive a trolley wire and guide the head along the wire, thecurrent collector mounted on the support by a universal joint wherebythe current collector and support are movable relative to each other,metallic connecting means secured to and encircling the support in fixedand concentric relation thereto, insulating means interposed between thesupport and the connecting means to insulate the connecting means fromthe current collectorand from the support, a portion of the connectingmeans projecting laterally from the support and from the insulatingmeans and having an exposed surface adapted to engage a contactorassociated with the trolley wire.

4. A current collector head comprising, a bowlshaped support means withprojecting means to receive the endof a trolley pole for support of thehead, a current collector mounted on the support and having a groove toreceive a trolley wire and guide the head along the trolley wire, auniversal joint securing the current collector to the support meanswhereby the current collector may oscillate and rotate simultaneouslyrelative to the support means in opposing planes, the bowl-shapedsupport means formed with an outwardly open ng circumferential grooveadjacent its upper edge, annular shaped metallic connecting meanssecured in the groove in fixed relation to the support means withinterposed insulation and projecting radially outwardly through saidopening of the circumferential groove from the adjacent surface of thesupport, the connecting means provided with an exposed contact surface.

5. A current collector head comprising, a cupshaped support member withmeans to secure the member to a support, a second support membercomprising an upright memb r secured to the cup-shaped support membercentral thereof, a current collector mounted on the second supportmember and having a connect on therewith to provide universal movablerelation with the support member, connecting means associated with thecup-shaped support member, recessed means opening outwardly associatedwith the cupshaped member and encircling the upright member, theconnecting means positioned within the recessed means with insulatingmeans interposed between the cup-shaped support member and theconnecting means, the connecting means encircling the upright member andprojecting from the cup-shaped support member, the plane of the recessedmeans and of the connecting means being substantially at right angles tothe longitudinal axis of the said second support.

6. A current collecting head comprising, a bowl-shaped support memberwith means to receive means to mount the member on a vehicle, a secondsupport central of the bowl-shaped support, a grooved current collectormounted on the second support by universal joint means whereby the headis guided along a trolley wire, connecting means secured to thebowl-shaped support member in circumferential and concentric relation tothe current collector, the lane of the connecting means beingsubstantially normal to the axis of the second supporting memher andparallel to the plane of the rim of the bowl-shaped support member, andinsulating means interposed between the connecting means and thebowl-shaped member.

7. A current collector head as set forth in claim 6 in which theinsulating means is U- shaped in cross-section and projects from theadjacent surface of the support member but to a less extent than theconnecting means projects.

8. A current collector head comprising, a support member, meansprojecting from the support member to receive means to mount the head ona vehicle, a second support positioned central of the said supportmember, a grooved current collector mounted on the second support byuniversal joint means, connecting means secured to the said supportmember in circumferential and concentric relation to the currentcollector, and having an annular contact surface substantially parallelto the axis of the second support to engage an overhead contactor, theplane of the connecting means being substantially normal to th axis ofthe second support and movable with the support member and independentlyof the current collector, the universal joint means 30 of thesecondsupport and in a plane substantially normal to the plane of theconnecting means and the current collector also rotates in a plane substantially normal to the axis of the second support and parallel to theplane of the connecting means, whereby the current collector head willfollow the trolley wire while passing an overhead contactor and theconnecting means will engage the contactor when the vehicle, in passingthe contactor, moves either parallel to or angling to the trolley wirein lateral relation thereto.

RAYMOND W. DONALDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 747,795 Stewart et al Dec. 22,1903 851,975 Beaudette Apr. 30, 1907 913,168 Roth Feb. 23, 1909 954,014Bayley Apr. 5, 1910 1,396,690 Mikulic Nov. 8, 1921 1,893,383 Way Jan. 3,1933 2,005,908 Schaake June 25, 1935 2,326,065 Rideout Aug. 3, 1943FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 317,650 Italy Mar. 18, 1934

